The Dove and the Raven
by Zamora Siona
Summary: Melindriana, the unknown twin of Inuyasha, is left at Konohagakure at her parent's request. Pain and rejection await her life at the village with Uchiha Itachi as her only friend. Dark & forbidden secrets emerge to strangle more than just their friendship
1. Melindriana

Okay so this is the prologue for the story 'the Dove and the Raven.' It is a remake of the original version which can be found on DeviantArt on me account there. I would really like some constructive criticism please. I'm trying to get better. =) Thanks for reading!

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The wind blew stingingly by as she leaned down farther into the silky, white fur before her. His movements were so smooth it almost seemed like his paws never touched the ground. The silent and chill night air fluttering around them whispered quietly in her rounded ears as his rhythmic panting almost lulled her to sleep. Struggling against the urge, Lady Izayoi said quietly above the roar of the wind, "We are close. I recognize the trees."

Demon Lord Inu no Taisho grunted in confirmation.

The great dog demon and his human mate traveled quickly down the trodden path towards the towering gates in the distance, the full moon glowing brightly in the night sky. Clutching the two bundles tightly to her, Izayoi hummed softly into the infants' ears to keep them asleep.

Another moment or so passed before Lord Inu no Taisho came to a silent halt. Izayoi, small yet elegant, slid smoothly from his glossy back. She placed the two bundles softly on the ground before returning to his side. The black sleeveless shirt and pants hid most of her well formed figure as she padded back to her mate. Her long black hair, which was tied back in a braided bun, glistened in the moonlight as she hastened to undo the straps that had held her in place a moment ago from around the dog demon's chest and stomach. When she was finished, Izayoi picked up the bundles and disappeared into the shadows.

Inu no Taisho, after transforming back into his humanoid state, followed her. When they were out of sight of the road and deep into the thick brush, the demon lord asked, "How are they?"

Shifting one bundle onto each hip, she glanced back between the two of them. "Inuyasha has not stirred since we left," Izayoi whispered, gazing lovingly down at her newborn son, "Melindriana woke several times along the way." Shifting her again in her other arm, the Lady held her daughter, Inuyasha's twin sister, tight to her chest. A little sniffle from the baby set a frown on Lady Izayoi's face. "Every time we stop moving, she cries. I don't understand."

Lord Inu no Taisho took the baby from his her arms. "We don't have much time, my love," he reminded gently, "Dawn is approaching faster than we'd like."

"I know, I know."

The two started up the path, Melindriana silencing immediately as her father's protective arms encircled her small body. Myoga the flea appeared from underneath his master's thick white hair saying, "The infant is quiet. You have a way with children, master."

Lord Inu no Taisho did not reply.

After a while, Lady Izayoi branched off slightly, angling towards the southern walls. Her mate followed silently. As they neared the walls, the three of them, Myoga included, could sense the dark eyes glaring down at them from above. The flea tried to ignore them, but all he could do was fidget quietly. The great demon noticed it immediately.

"Myoga."

"Yes, master?"

Nodding towards the baby in his arms, he said, "Hide in the folds of the blanket if you must. Your squirming is beginning to annoy me."

Myoga came to attention at that, his knees straightening in an attempt to seem brave. "Of course, master. Right away." Leaping from his perch on Lord Inu no Taisho's shoulders, Myoga found a thick crease in the cloth and hid away snugly.

After a while of going around the walls, Lady Izayoi murmured, "I found the place my brother mentioned. The lock should be around here somewhere…" She struggled to find it for a moment, before there was the quiet _click_ of the passage opening. The two slipped inside like shadows. Darkness enshrouded them as they hastened, the cobblestone path cold against their hands as they followed the wall.

A second _click_ sounded in front of them. Moonlight streamed in as the door opened for their admittance, bringing them through the walls and into the village. The one who had unbarred the side gate blocked their path. Shadows hid his face, but his voice was deep and thick as he instructed, "Leave all of your weapons here. We will keep them until your departure."

Glancing at Lady Izayoi, Inu no Taisho explained, "I have no weapons." An unbelieving glance from the man led him to explain further, "I have left my three swords in my servants' care. For now, I only have my claws."

The man hesitated. Lord Inu no Taisho's foreboding presence almost sent shivers down his spine. His long silvery hair, held back in a high ponytail, blew slightly in the wind. A spiked breastplate covered his large and muscular chest all the way down to his waist. Standing above six foot, he stared down at him unflinchingly. After a moment or so, the man turned to Izayoi, "And you, milady?"

Handing the baby Inuyasha to her the dog demon, she withdrew a slim katana from the belt at her waist, handed it to him, and said, "That is all I have."

"Very well. If you will follow me…" Gesturing ahead, he led them down a windy path, mostly hidden by trees, and towards the village center. They took back alleys and small side streets through the few outcropping of buildings to avoid anyone else who would be awake at this time of night, keeping to the shadows. As they reached a tall, cylinder-shaped building, Lady Izayoi tried to ask him a question, but the man silenced her. "Save your questions for later, milady," he explained, "I doubt I could answer them even if I wanted to."

She simply nodded.

He opened the door, let them slip passed him inside, shut it, and then barred it behind them. Lord Inu no Taisho whispered to her, "Why bother locking it? Does it serve a purpose?"

"It is locked when a council is in session," Lady Izayoi explained, just as quietly, "Unless there is an emergency, it is not unlocked until the council is finished. It is for security purposes, if I remember correctly."

The hallway the man had left them in was straightforward enough, no doors leading off to the side to confuse them. Taking the lead while clutching her son to herself for good measure, Izayoi padded softly down the wooden floor to the end of the hall, opened the sliding door, and entered into the council chambers.

"Welcome to Konohagakure, Lady Izayoi," the Third Hokage murmured from his seat at the far end of the large circular room.

Two large crescent-moon tables that met at the top loomed before the demon lord and lady darkly. the ninja, young and old, that were already there casted them hated looks. Stepping forward, remembering everything Izayoi had instructed him about the encounter, Lord Inu no Taisho bowed politely to the head of the table, "Good morning, Lord Hokage. Thank you for allowing my mate and I safe passage."

The Third Hokage, yawning loudly after probably having just woken up, mumbled, "Yes. What is your business here, demon?"

Lady Izayoi stepped forward with an elegant bow, "Honorable Hokage, it has been many years since I have seen you last. Are you well?"

"Hm. Lady Izayoi. Your silvery tongue will cause much grief for me this day, I suppose."

"Lord Hokage, you embarrass me!" she said, smiling sweetly, "It would wound me gravely if I caused you any grief, this day or any. I am only here to ask a much-owned favor from you."

The ninja seated murmured darkly, a few mentioning a few snide remarks that sent her blushing and her mate growling quietly in indignation. The Third Hokage sighed, bringing out his long pipe from underneath his red under robes. His white conical hat hid his face as he lit it with a match, puffed on it experimentally for a time, and thought in silence.

Lady Izayoi waited patiently for him to look up. Inuyasha snuggled farther down into the blankets before releasing a quiet wail. Everyone's head shot up to stare at the bundle in her arms. Lord Inu no Taisho was by her side in an instant. "What is wrong?" he whispered in her ear, gazing down at his son. The baby's white dog-ears twitched slightly as he let out another wail.

"He's hungry," she explained, a little frustrated, "I need to feed him."

A few dirty chuckles sounded from around them. The Third Hokage's hand silenced them. Looking up, he asked, "What is the favor then?"

Brushing a long strand of black hair from her face, she bowed again, "Thank you, Honorable Hokage. My plea is small. I request my daughter, Melindriana, be set up for adoption in the daimyo's household." She gestured toward the motionless bundle in her lord's arms.

No one laughed this time. All of the men simply stared at her in disbelief, their eyes wide. The only two who seemed unfazed was the Hokage, who simply sat there puffing at his pipe, and Hatake Sakumo, a legendary white-haired ninja in the sixth seat to the right of the Hokage. Blinking stoically, the ninja asked, "I never thought you were one to joke, milady…"

"I am not playing, Sakumo! I cannot care for her. It is far too dangerous in the upcoming years and I wish her to be well educated and respected. Why are you—"

Another loud yell from Inuyasha silenced her. Sighing, she bowed low again, "Excuse me, milord." Lady Izayoi went to the darkest corner of the room, turned her back to the crowd of men, and let her son drink. Many of the men tried to get a good look at her, but one death glare from Lord Inu no Taisho sent their eyes to the floor.

Still holding his daughter in his hands, he addressed only the Hokage. "Milord," he started, "My mate has done much for you. You have already done _us_ much by simply allowing me near and into your village." His grip tightened around the bundle. "Please, Lord Hokage, permit this one selfish request from parents who wish only safety and well being for their child."

"What of the boy? Do you request the same of him?"

He shook his head, "No, milord. Izayoi will care for him until he is old enough to fend for himself. Then she will join me in Tridas'Core."

Sighing, the Third Hokage thought a moment.

Another man, one with coal-black hair and eyes, exclaimed suddenly, "You cannot be seriously considering this, Lord Hokage! The daimyo would never allow it!"

"Enough, Fugaku," he snapped, "Do not speak unless spoken to."

Silence descended, the only sound being Inuyasha's constant sucking and contented sighs. After a while, the Third Hokage spoke again. "Leave us and the council for now. We shall discuss this."

The demon lord bowed slightly. Without another word, he went to Izayoi's side, hid her from the men's eyes under the long cape-like fur on his back, and vanished out the doors. One of the two ninja on either side of the door followed them out. He directed them to a side room, using a passageway and combination, as he instructed, "Remain here until you are summoned. Knock if you need anything." Without another word, he shut the door behind them.

Lord Inu no Taisho glanced around the simple square room warily, satisfied that they were alone, and then let his fur drop. He led Izayoi to the single bench in the room, eased her down, and spat disgustedly, "How dare they! Do these men have no integrity?"

"It is all right, Inu no Taisho," Izayoi soothed, adjusting Inuyasha slightly. Murmuring mostly to herself, she said, "He certainly eats a lot."

"He is a healthy dog demon. He has to eat."

"Melindriana does not eat anywhere near that much…"

Inu no Taisho replied exasperatedly, "She is a girl. Baby girls don't eat as much as boys."

Blinking slowly in surprise, Lady Izayoi suddenly beamed up at him. The great dog demon cocked his head to the side confusedly. She then laughed. "What is so funny?" he asked, sitting down beside her, "Are you making fun of me?"

"No, no," she laughed again, reminding Inu no Taisho how beautiful she was. "I was only laughing at how fatherly you are at times."

Still not getting the point, he asked, "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, but I just wasn't expecting you to act…human about it."

His expression broke into a small smile. Brushing his long ponytail behind his back with his free hand, he repeated softly, "Is that a bad thing?"

Izayoi grinned, "No." Glancing down at her son, she sighed, "Finally. He's asleep. I thought he would never stop." Readjusting her black robes, she placed Inuyasha gently on the bench, knelt down before her mate, and gazed into his golden eyes. Inu no Taisho stared back lovingly, cupping her face in his hand.

Pressing his palm to her cheek, she whispered, "Do you think the Third Hokage will take Melindriana? I mean, what if he refuses? What will we—"

Squeezing the baby in his arms again, he interrupted, "We will think about that when the time comes. Until then, believe he has already said yes."

She only nodded. The two sat there in silence for a time, watching their baby girl sleep contentedly. Myoga slipped out from underneath the blankets, trying not to disturb his masters while doing so, and hopped over to Inuyasha to give them privacy. Izayoi wrapped her arms around him tightly, careful not to touch the baby, and cried quietly into his chest. Inu no Taisho shifted Melindriana onto one knee and, as she relinquished her hold around his waist, gripped Izayoi's elbows. Hoisting her up onto his lap as he would a child, he handed her their daughter, rested her head on his shoulder, and held her gently.

Myoga tried not to watch from his perch on Inuyasha, but he found it hard. It was a touching moment for them.

Minutes passed as the two lovers took comfort in each others presence. Suddenly, Lord Inu no Taisho mumbled, "Someone's about to open the door."

Sure enough, the latch on the door lifted, and light streamed in around a shadowy silhouette. Three ninja stepped into the room, all of which Izayoi recognized immediately. Brushing her tears away with the back of her hand, she placed Melindriana down beside Inuyasha, leaped to her feet, and ran into the arms of Sannin Jiraiya.

"I am so glad you're here!" she exclaiming, throwing her arms around his neck, "I thought you said you were on a mission."

"I was," explained Jiraiya, but the man at his elbow interrupted him.

"We returned early, Lady Izayoi," Orochimaru threw in, staring down at her with his own golden, snake-like eyes. Inu no Taisho stood slowly. Already he did not like this Sannin. The ninja shifted his gaze towards the two sleeping babies. "So these are the…pups I've heard so much about," hissed Orochimaru as he took another step into the room, "My, do they look healthy."

"Move out of the way." Heels clicking on the wooden floors, Tsunade shoved her teammate to the side as she swept passed him. Going to the fist baby she could get her hands on, she inspected Inuyasha. Lord Inu no Taisho, unsure of whether he should stop her, glanced towards Izayoi. She shrugged. Tsunade carefully unwrapped the infant, pinching a plump cheek experimentally before examining his legs. After a moment or so, she mumbled, "Strong little guy. He sleeps like a rock."

"Oh, Lady Tsunade and Lord Orochimaru. It's wonderful to see all three of you again," Izayoi greeted, bowing to the Sannin, "The mission was successful, I assume."

Jiraiya smirked broadly down at her. "Of course it was. We haven't failed a mission in years, right, guys?" Neither of them responded. Both were looking at the babies.

Tsunade, after tugging on Inuyasha's dog ears, said, "He has such beautiful hair." Glancing at Lord Inu no Taisho, she murmured under her breath, "He takes after his father." Wrapping the baby back up in the blanket, she gently snatched Melindriana from the bench and examined her as well.

Still looking at Inuyasha, Orochimaru asked suddenly, "Why does he have those ears?"

Inu no Taisho, who had been motionless until this point, met his gaze. His shoulder plates clinking slightly as he shifted, he explained, "It's because he is a half demon. If he was a full demon, he would have pointed ears like mine."

"Oh, yes. I can understand that."

Another knock sounded at the door. It creaked ajar just enough for the person to get their head through as they asked, "Um…sensei? My lord and lady? Sannin?"

Placing his hands on his hips, Jiraiya turned towards him, "Yeah, what is it, Minato?"

"May I come in?" mumbled the young Jounin in reply.

Jiraiya seemed a little impatient as he bopped Minato over the head exclaiming, "You idiot! The only ones who need to ask permission to enter or leave is Lord Inu no Taisho and Izayoi."

"Sorry, sensei…"

"Yeah, yeah. Get in here, twirp."

The teenager slipped in. His bright blonde hair seemed to glow in the dim light as his curious eyes flickered around the room, resting on Lord Inu no Taisho longer than was necessary. The dog demon returned his gaze unhesitatingly. They stared at each other for quite some time, neither wavering, until the sudden squeal of Melindriana drew their eyes away in an instant. Tsunade looked over her shoulder sheepishly at them. The baby was dangling upside down, one heel in Tsunade's grip, while the rest squirmed and kicked around.

Izayoi rushed over immediately, "Is that safe?"

"She's a strong kid, just like her brother and parents. I only have one question. How—"

The door was thrown open yet again, and Uchiha Fugaku stormed in along with two other ANBU in tow. "Come with me," commanded the head of the police squad, "Lord Hokage is waiting." He stepped aside to let them all pass, which Minato, who was closest to the door, hastily did, followed by Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya. As Tsunade was passing with Melindriana still upside down, Izayoi snatched her away faster than even the Sannin could react, crooning her softly back to sleep. She glared at the kunoichi's back as they went. Lord Inu no Taisho took Inuyasha, whispered to Myoga to stay underneath the folds, and stared down the Uchiha before he left. After a struggle to return it, Fugaku's black eyes fell, letting the demon lord pass.

As they entered back into the room, the Third Hokage, grim and puffing hard on his pipe, sat there motionlessly as the group shuffled around until Lord Inu no Taisho and Izayoi were in the front. Izayoi asked, a little shakily, "What have you decided, Lord Hokage?"

The older man blinked, "She has been rejected. The village will not accept her."

"What?" exclaimed the Lady and, surprisingly, Minato. All eyes turned to stare at the young Jounin, most in shock and bewilderment, as he grinned back timidly.

Lord Inu no Taisho brushed past her. "_What_?" he demanded, "There is nothing wrong with her by _your_ standards. If not the daimyo, perhaps some other family can take her. Please, Lord Hokage! …I'm begging you." He finished with a dejected bow of his head, as if he had lost a large battle, and waited in silence for the powerful ninja to decide his daughter's fate.

The torches lining the room flickered softly as no one spoke. All eyes turned towards the head of the tables. The Hokage hesitated. Izayoi placed her hand on Inu no Taisho's shoulder reassuringly, understanding what it must have taken him to admit his desperation. When no answer was forthcoming, Minato shoved his way to the front passed the Sannin and even the Lord and Lady. Jiraiya tried to hold him back, mumbling, "Minato, wait. You can't—"

"Honorable Hokage," Minato cut off his sensei sharply, "Lady Izayoi has done much for this village. We owe her our lives. As ninja, we should repay her kindness with a form of our own."

Hatake Sakumo spoke up. "You are young, Namikaze," he chided, "You do not know our customs quite yet."

"A ninja becomes a man when he is given this headband," Minato responded, tapping the Leaf Village's symbol on his forehead, "I became a man long ago. I understood our customs long ago. I understood the bias of this council long ago as well." Turning to the Hokage, he continued, "But you, Lord Hokage, are the head of the council. You are wise and just." Sighing, he finished, "Please make the right decision."

Many of the council members appeared indignant as Minato's words sank in. Finally, the Hokage coughed loudly, hard and hoarse, before he murmured, "We will take her into the village." He rose suddenly, cutting off any form of exclamation from anyone. "This is final. Now," he spoke directly to Izayoi and Inu no Taisho, "take your son and leave us. Your daughter will be taken care of."

"By who?" they asked in unison. Izayoi's eyes shot down to Melindriana in her arms.

"Me." With a creak from the table, Fugaku rose from his seat. Heads spun to face him at the unexpected response. Even the Third Hokage and Sakumo seemed shocked.

Lady Izayoi immediately said, "No."

"No? Why not?"

"Because I don't trust you," she snarled, "The Uchiha Clan is nothing more than a miserable, little—"

"I promise you, Lady Izayoi," interrupted Fugaku smoothly, "I will take care of this child like I would any of my own. I have a son now, Lady. I would treat her as I would him."

Glancing back down at her daughter, Izayoi caressed her plump cheek and nose with her thumb before turning to her mate. Inu no Taisho was glaring unblinkingly at Fugaku until she murmured his name worriedly. Sighing, he shifted his gaze towards the Hokage. "Do you trust this man, Lord Hokage?" he asked.

"I do. With my life."

"Very well." Turning to Fugaku, the demon lord stated, "She is not to be become a shinobi. If she does..." His golden eyes narrowed dangerously and his voice venomous. "...I will be sure you are the first to feel our frustration." Fugaku nodded, silently wishing this encounter would end quickly. He continued with his instructions slowly, "Since you are a lord of the village, it should not be hard for you to teach her in etiquette and manners. Her heritage is of royal birth, and I do not want it tarnished by your hand."

Bowing slightly when he was sure he had finished, Uchiha Fugaku affirmed, "I will do my best, Lord Inu no Taisho."

One of the elders, who had been sitting quietly beside the Hokage, suddenly groaned, "Is there anymore business or family matters you would like to discuss, demon? Many of us would like to return to our uneventful dreams."

Others around him agreed. Hatake Sakumo rested his head on his entwined fingers, his black eyes calculating and cold. Izayoi shivered as she made contact with them, tightening her grip around her daughter again.

_Is this really such a good idea? _she asked herself the thousandth time. _Can I trust my former home...?_

A gentle hand on her shoulder shattered reverie. Gazing up into the eyes of her lover, she heard him whisper, "Give Melindriana to Lord Uchiha. The deal has been made."

Nodding numbly, Izayoi took step after step towards the man that she would entrust the fate of her only daughter to. Eternity seemed to pass in front of her before she felt the cold, callused hands of Uchiha Fugaku brush against her skin to take the child. For one single brief instant, she hesitated. _Those eyes of his are bottomless holes of ambition,_ thought Izayoi as she stared into his weathered face._ There is no compassion in him. How could I possibly give my daughter to this man?_ The moment passed, her fingers released their grip, and Melindriana was gone. She now hung loosely in Fugaku's arms.

Her arms fell down to her sides slowly. Her dark eyes, staring at her baby in the man's possession, glazed over as more worries and doubts clouded her mind. A strong arm wrapped around her waist, drawing her away. Holding her gently, Lord Inu no Taisho bowed to the Third Hokage. "Thank you, My Lord," he said, ponderously stepping away from the council chambers and towards the door. Izayoi followed obediently.

The three Sannin and Namikaze Minato shifted to the sides to let them pass. Worry etched across his young face, Jiraiya lightly touched Izayoi's bare arm encouragingly. "Watch over her for me, Jiraiya," she murmured as she walked by, "Guard her carefully."

"Sure," he bobbed his head in affirmation.

Myoga popped up from within the folds of Inuyasha's blankets to stare up at his lord. "It is finished?" questioned the flea, "Is she...?"

"Yes," Lord Inu no Taisho replied, just loud enough for Myoga alone to hear, "Melindriana is gone."

As they removed themselves from the room, the demon lord took one last fleeting look at his daughter. He was surprised to see her staring back at him. Fugaku was holding her in such a way that her face was directed towards the door and her large blue eyes were wide open. Her small chubby hands instinctively reached out for him, fingers extended as if to accept a hug, and a quiet wail escaped her small mouth. _How...? _The door slid to a close. She truly was gone. _Good bye, my beautiful Melindriana, _Lord Inu no Taisho thought as he walked down the long hall to the door leading outside, _Grow into a fine young woman with no regrets or pain. Be strong. I love you..._

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"That was surprising, Uchiha," Sakumo said as the door closed behind the demon lord and his mate, "I never would have suspected you would do something so...charitable to demons."

Before anyone could stop him, Uchiha Fugaku hit several points on the back of the baby's neck, let her crumple into unconsciousness, and practically slammed her onto the table. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Minato all lurched forward in shock.

"What do you think you're doing, you idiot!" hissed Tsunade, "You can't just do that to an infant her age. You could permanently damage her!"

"What do _you_ take me for, Lady Tsunade? A fool?" Fugaku glared down at the child. Nudging it with his finger as he would a rotting carcass, he spat, "This beast should have been thrown out into the gutters the moment it arrived. It and its sibling. Be happy I didn't kill it..."

Jiraiya stepped forward. "You promised Lord Inu no Taisho, Uchiha," he reminded, enraged, "You swore to treat her as your own son!"

"And this is exactly how I would treat my son if he was a half-demon."

"She's not a half-demon," Tsunade came forward angrily and turned the baby's head towards the Third Hokage. "Did none of you notice? She has _human_ ears unlike her twin brother. Also, there's not a single demon marking on her body. Melindriana is pure human like her mother."

"How is that possible?" demanded an elder.

"I don't know!" she admitted, her brown eyes narrowing, "I truly don't."

Fugaku tore the baby from the Sannin's grip yelling, "I'm slaughtering this wild animal before it becomes a nuisance. I will do it now."

The clock on the far wall above the door suddenly began to chime rather loudly. Standing and silencing the council before anyone could object, the Third Hokage stated, "It is four o' clock in the morning, lady and gentlemen. Fugaku-" His dark eyes turned to the Uchiha. "-war is brewing all around us. More shinobi are needed to protect the village. Perhaps we could train her."

"I refuse. After all," smirked Fugaku, "the Lord and Lady told us not to. It would be a waste of training anyway. With your permission, I would like to excuse myself, Lord Hokage."

He sighed, "You may leave. Take the infant and go."

Fugaku bowed again and hastily left the room. Minato tried to detain him by blocking his path, but the Uchiha simply shoved him out of the way with his free hand and took his leave. When the door finished closing, Minato spun on his heel to face the Hokage, bowed apologetically, and ran after him.

"You can't kill her!" the council heard him yell after Fugaku, "I won't let you...!"

His voice faded into the early morning breeze.


	2. Melody

Yay! Another chapter done. Sorry this took a while. I have decided that writers block sucks. _ Just so you are well prepared, all of the characters from Inuyasha do not appear for a long time. This is more of a Naruto fanfic for a while. I am also planning on this being more of a story than a fanfic so, if I ever get around to finishing this, there is another story planned after 'the Dove and the Raven.' So...yeah. =)

Enjoy!

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Chapter One: Melody

Get back here, you little runt!" yelled the shopkeeper loudly, "Give that back!"

Melody took a quick glance over her shoulder. Her short legs went as fast as they could down the dirt path away from the bazaar with the only man that saw her snitch all that day on her heels. He seemed pretty fast for the rather large man he was. Nearly tripping over a rock, the three-year-old girl righted just at the last second, her small and dusty hand scraping against the road for an instant to catch herself.

"Pickpocket!" the man yelled again, a little louder for others to hear, "Pickpocket!"

Melody did not want to wait to find out if he got anyone to help him. She brushed past people walking down the street roughly, swiping things from their unsuspecting pockets as she went, and lunged down a side alleyway behind an overhanging rag. The man was not fooled.

Pointing a chubby finger at the alley she had disappeared through, he huffed, "Stop, thief! Demon spawn!" That got everyone's attention. Turning in the direction the shopkeeper was pointing, three young men came forward.

"Stole from you again, huh?" one of them asked as they followed the heftier man towards the entrance to the alley.

"'Course she did! She always steals from me." He glanced down the dusty and grimy passage. The rag that covered the entrance to about his waist was propped up against a rotting piece of wood. Small piles of garbage and rummage clotted the cool cobblestone pathway. The stench was atrocious. Plugging his nose hastily, he nasally instructed to two of them, "You go around to the other side. She can't be fast enough to have gotten around all the crap to get out, so she's probably hiding in one of the heaps. Me and Ishika will come in this way when you're ready. We'll drown that demon spawn out."

Ishika, the man to the shopkeeper's left, shook his head quickly. "I'm not getting involved in this," he grumbled, turning to leave, "Good luck catching the toddler."

"Whatever," grumbled the shopkeeper, "We only need three guys for this job anyway." He directed his attention to the other two. "You guys gonna help me catch her?"

The youngest piped up immediately, "Anything to catch that no good runt."

"Let's beat her up afterward. Just to teach her a lesson," the other man added, clenching his hand into a menacing fist.

The shopkeeper nodded, "All right then. Let's get this rodent."

Ishika leaned against the wall of the pharmacy building in clear view of the alley, a lazy expression on his face as he called after them, "You won't catch her. She's too smart for idiots like you."

None of them paid much attention to his warning. The other two ran around the building to the end of the alleyway while the shopkeeper remained out front. When the young men were in position, the three charged into the dank passage. The hefty man checked under every garbage can, sack, board, and box with a scrutinizing, beady, black eye. Nothing. Not even stray dogs or rats were found. As the three men met in the middle, the youngest yelled angrily, "What the heck? Are you sure she even came down this way?"

"I was sure of it!" the shopkeeper declared, looking around for any sign of the girl, "I saw her run down here! Maybe she went into one of the houses..."

"She couldn't have," answered the other, "Look. All the windows are boarded up tight."

The youngest sighed, "You idiot man, you lost her. And here I thought we could put that creature out of its misery."

They made their way out of the alley and into the bright morning light again, their expressions dejected and worn. Ishika, arms folded across his thin chest, laughed, "Couldn't find her, eh? Heh, told you she was smart."

"Shut up, Ishika," grumbled the youngest, brushing his dark hair out of his face.

"And now you all smell like pigs," he chuckled again, "Take showers, 'kay?"

The shopkeeper glared at him for a moment or two before he ponderously made his way back to his shop. A banana peel stuck to his t-shirt in the back, making several kids from the ninja Academy snickered at his passing.

The other man placed his hands on his hips as he asked, "How did you know she would get away anyway? She's a toddler."

"So? She's a beast with killer instincts. The hunted, in desperation, must become smarter than the hunter or die. It's a simple fact of life. That demon spawn is smart because she doesn't want to lose, even at someone her age. Heh, don't worry." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Knowing the higher-ups in this village, that little rodent won't last long."

Panting hard, Melody doubled over. Her vomit covered the concrete in front of her, emptying her stomach even more from the little it had. Having to scurry up the vine to the roof as fast she possibly could and watching the men track her from below was more than she could handle. Rolling up into a tight ball, she lie there for some time, breathing in deeply to try to calm herself down. When half an hour passed, Melody slowly picked herself up, checked to see if she still had all of her catches for the day, and climbed down the vine growing on the side of the building. Her dusty bare feet touched ground and then set off in a brisk trot towards the village walls.

Avoiding any of the shopkeepers that could possibly get her into trouble, Melody mostly stuck to abandoned alleys and side streets. As the two massive gates came into view, she broke out into a slow jog, too tired and aching to do much else yet too terrified to get caught. The six Chunin who stood guard on the ground turned to look down at her menacingly as she approached.

"What do you want, demon spawn?" one of them asked coldly. The blazing insignia of the leaf village glimmered on his forehead as it caught the sun's rays.

"You know what it's here for, you idiot," answered another, taking a step forward to level with him, "It wants to get to its rat hole." The second ninja glared down at her, "Stolen anything new, vermin?"

Melody always hated trying to convince the guards to let her through. After a long moment of stuttering and trying to formulate a coherent sentence, she gave up and simply shook her head.

"Oh, really? What are these then?" The first ninja grabbed her wrist and yanked hard. As she stumbled forward with a gasp, he reached into her raggedy clothes, removed the few fruits and other findings in a flash, and then threw her away. She skidded for a foot before coming to a painful stop. Weighing them in his hands, the ninja spat, "Thief. We should punish you severely for this..."

"She's just a kid though," put in one of the other ninja, "We can't really do much to a toddler."

"Send it to the orphanage," the second grumbled, a hand on his hip.

That made the others laugh. "Oh sure," said yet another, "What orphanage would willingly take in rats?"

"Hey, since you seem to love it so much, Suchanu," chuckled the first, "Why don't you take it?" More laughter.

The third ninja, Suchanu, glared at the others darkly. "Shut up! I don't love..._it_." He took the food and trinkets away from the first, picked out a few of the worst and dingiest looking items from the group, and threw them at Melody. She was still on the ground at their feet, blood trickling down her scrawny knees and forearms. As she saw the food coming her way though, she immediately got to her feet, caught all of the edible projectiles, and stammered, "Th-Th-Thank you!" The girl bowed low before anyone could hit her over the head, "P-P'ease o-o-open the...the...ga-"

"Oh, just shut up and leave, demon spawn." The first ninja, the highest ranked Chunin on the ground guard, motioned up for those far above them with the gate's controls to open them. One of the guards nodded their head in confirmation, and the massive doors swung out slowly, creaking loudly against the strain. Melody slipped passed them before they could say or do anything else. Stringy and dirty blonde hair flying back, the little girl slipped into the trees on the right side of the road and vanished into the shadows.

The doors closed behind her.

Keeping close to the walls yet still hidden in the trees, Melody quietly padded around the brush. She cringed as a low hanging branch skidded across her already torn knees, tears stinging at her eyes. Brushing them away with the back of her hand, she continued as if nothing had happened. The forest seemed calm enough that afternoon anyway. A few birds, mostly larks, twittered and flew about above her playfully, swooping passed one another in what almost looked like a game of tag. The breeze felt nice and cool against her pale skin, not too warm and not too cool, and the clouds made fluffy white shapes through the overhanging branches.

The trees thinned out after a while and the village's trash dump came into view. The dump trucks that took the trash away to the incinerators every Tuesday grumbled noisily down the dirt road away from the village.

Konoha –or Konohagakura– the hidden ninja village in the Land of Fire, was one of the larger of the great shinobi villages. Holding more than a twenty thousand people, ninja included, the Village Hidden in the Leaves was surrounded on all sides by lush forests, hilly mountainsides, and its forty-foot tall and fifteen-foot thick walls that hugged the outskirts protectively. Technological luxuries from the surrounding areas had slowly crept in, so now electricity, running water, radios, microwaves, and a few televisions were found in most homes. Many of the older shinobi families, such as the Uchiha or the Hyuga clans, preferred the traditional ways and mostly kept to them.

Melody's 'house' was just outside the garbage dump. Vines grew out of the boards that held the little hut together, the wood old and mostly rotten. The tin on the roof was rusty and cracked, letting both light and water sink into the room on the inside. It was a single roomed house, if one could call it that, and had no toilet, kitchen, or sink. All the water that was healthy to drink came from the bottles she collected and stole from the market place.

Opening the nearly-unhinged door, she softly padded in. Her collection of bottled water was in the farthest left hand corner of the room, the coolest and darkest place in the house, and on the wall beside that was her knife collection. It ranged from kunai knives to machetes, all of which she sharpened every other day with a whet stone she had found in the dump. In the other corner near the window –a hole in the wall with ripped tarp mostly covering it up– lay the pile of rags that served as her bed. Right to the left of the 'bed' was her pile of food and, on the other side, was her treasure stash where she kept her valuables. Her treasures were mostly just shiny coins or semi-precious stones that anyone else would have considered ordinary, but, to a three-year-old, they were the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

Placing her catch of the day beside the rest, Melody sat down on her rags with a quiet thud. There was little left after what the Chunin guard took and most of it was bruised fruit and old bread. Sighing halfheartedly, she picked up a few of the coins she snitched from the day before and counted them all again for the tenth time. She came up short with twenty.

"That not right," she mumbled, laying them all straight out before her, "There supposed to be twenty-three." Taking her time, Melody stumbled across six and seven, always mixing them up because they both started with 's,' and also discovered she had misplaced several of the numbers with thirteen and nineteen. Satisfied when she got twenty-three after another try, she placed them all back into the old black box gently. The lid was worn and smooth, its grain cracking somewhat around the edges. She then placed it back under a rag or two before lying back onto her bed.

Closing her big blue eyes, Melody shifted somewhat, annoyed at the slightly humid atmosphere of the afternoon, but let the quietness send her to sleep.

Scratching the back of his head, the first Chunin guard yawned loudly before glancing at the massive wall behind him. _Not much excitement today..._ he thought lazily, _Let's hope it stays that way._ Rumors had finally reached them at the walls of the possibility of another Great Shinobi War. None of them were thrilled.

"What are the Kages _thinking_!" exclaimed one of the guards, folding her arms angrily across her chest, "None of the Five Great Villages can afford another skirmish, let alone another war."

Several nodded. One of the younger Chunin punched the air enthusiastically, "Are you kidding? I can't wait to show those rotten cowards how a good fight is _really_ done."

"_Baka_. You'd be killed within moments."

"Shut up! You know nothing!"

The squabble continued for a short time, voices rising dramatically as the two ninja approached silently from the center of town. They stopped as they neared the chaotic group, patiently waiting for someone to notice them, but to no avail.

Namikaze Minato scratched the back of his head, his expression blank. He did not like being ignored. Shifting slightly on his feet, he turned to look at her. "Looks like a heated argument," he murmured, "Should we interrupt?"

Uzumaki Kushina glared at the group in front of her, her eyes narrowing darkly. "You kidding? These fools..." Shaking her thick, long red hair out of her face, Kushina hit the first Chunin she could lay hands on in the back of the head growling, "Baka! We're on the brink of war and you _idiots_ aren't even bothering to watch the gates! Stand at attention."

By now, all the Chunin guards were cowering a safe distance away from her, a few muttering her well-deserved nickname under their breaths. The one she had hit tumbled to the back as far away from her as possible, startled bewilderment and pain etched on his face.

"It's the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero!" one hissed, cringing as her steely gaze directed its fury upon him.

Minato stepped forward before Kushina could do some real damage. "It's not as serious as you're making it out to be, Kushina," chided Minato as he placed a warm hand on her shoulder. Her temper waned somewhat. "There are the still the watchman on the walls who are doing the real guarding anyway. Now, for the rest of you." He crossed his arms across his chest. "She is right though. You should not be worrying over who starts the war but when it will take place." His gaze swept across the group. "Which of you is in charge?"

The Chunin guard who had taken Melody's stolen goods stepped forward, "I am, sir."

Minato, clear blue eyes narrowed, instructed icily, "Don't let this happen again." The young Jounin sighed, "Besides, the real reason I'm down here is for an update on Melody."

"Again, Namikaze?" the Chunin frowned, "Why are you so interested in the demon spawn?"

"That is none of you business. Now, if you'd be so kind..."

Another ninja broke free from the others, "Melody is doing fine, sir. Fends for..." He glanced at the ninja around him warily. "...itself well enough."

Kushina glared at him, "You mean _herself,_ right?"

Namikaze squeezed Kushina's shoulder slightly. "What's your name?" he questioned.

"Nordai Suchanu."

"Ah. So she's doing well."

"Yes. Appears fine. Steals a few things from those in the market though."

"Nothing big?"

Suchanu shook his head, "No, sir. Small things like fruit, vegetables, and coins. Small currency."

"And how is everyone treating her?"

Suchanu fidgeted a little at that, his hands twitching slightly. "Um...I don't think I'm the one to answer that. Maybe you should ask one of the shopkeepers in the marketplace."

Satisfied yet a little sad, Minato turned to Kushina, "Ready to go? Or do you still wanna beat them up?"

Kushina seemed to contemplate this for a moment, her face screwing up in thought. Everyone in front of them recoiled in horror, all prepared to face the worst from the violent and dangerous kunoichi. She simply grinned evilly at them before gripping Minato's hand on her shoulder and letting him lead her away.

When he was sure they were gone and out of hearing range, the Chunin captain let his guard drop with a heavy sigh, relief clouding his voice as he said, "All right. Everyone back to work. Let's hope they don't come to check back up on us."

They all agreed heartily.

* * *

Hope you liked it! Please review and comment! ^_^


	3. the Uchiha Clan

Aha! C'est fini! The second chapter is out, and it's the debut of the Uchiha (obviously, hence the title -_-) and Itachi. Enjoy!

Chapter Two: the Uchiha Clan

He watched as the sun rose slowly over the edge of the horizon, dark eyes squinting against the new light. His finger tapped against the hard wood of his desk to ease the tension in the room as Minato bowed slightly, "Good morning, Lord Hokage."

"Namikaze," grumbled the Third Hokage as he turned to face the newcomer. Reaching into his desk drawer to search for his pipe, he asked, "Is something the matter?"

"No, sir. I simply wanted to report how Melody was doing. You said you wanted an update on her every two weeks since being on her own."

The Hokage retrieved a match from another drawer, lit it and his pipe, and then stared at him thoughtfully for a while. Minato stared back stoically. When no reply was forthcoming, he cleared his throat, "Sir."

"Yes, Minato, how is she?"

Letting his arms drop to his sides as he came forward, the younger Jounin relayed what he had learned. "She has adapted well. Melody can survive almost entirely on her own now aside from her constant need for stealing and pickpocketing. Her...house? No, the trash pit where she lives is atrocious and unsanitary; not a fit place for a child to raise herself. My lord, I could-"

"Minato, we have already discussed this," interrupted the Hokage, his back to Minato as he stared out the window. The sunbeams lit up the dark office harshly as it forced them to squint against it. Several larks and a dove fluttered in front of the window. "It would cause an uproar in the village if she was cared for or adopted by such a high-ranked ninja."

"Then have someone else take her! Perhaps a Chunin or maybe not even a ninja family. After all, her parents did instruct us to keep her away from all of that."

The Hokage glanced wearily in his general direction. "No one wants her. Prejudice runs too deeply in us, Namikaze. It is hard for people to let go..."

"Then they need to let go faster!" Minato growled as he made his way towards the door.

"'As long as there is love in this ninja world, so there will be hate.' By now, I'm sure you have heard Jiraiya use this phrase many times." The Jounin turned back to him as the Hokage continued, "Transition is slow and tedious, Minato. Prejudice is slower. It will come in time. Now-" He came out from behind his desk to place a comforting hand on the young man's shoulder. "-do not trouble yourself on the girl's part. You have done more than enough. Go and rest." Cracking a leathery smile from underneath his white conical hat, the Third Hokage chuckled, "Besides, I'm sure Jiraiya-sensei has much planned for you today."

"Oh, joy," smiled Minato, "Thank you, Lord Hokage."

"Anytime."

He paused suddenly, his hand on the doorknob, "Sir? May I ask you something?"

"Hm? Of course. What is it?"

"Is there another Great Shinobi War on the way?"

There was a long and uneasy pause before the Hokage sighed. Minato, staring back down at the older man, realized how tired he looked. Dark rings clouded his eyes and his body seemed achy and worn.

Finally, he mumbled, "I pray every day that it is not. You should as well."

"Yes, Lord Hokage."

Close to the other side of town away from the Hokage's office lay the marketplace in all its colorful glory. Thousands of stands and shops stood cluttered in its seemingly orderless manner, clothe lines crisscrossing over the dirt roads and squares.

Melody turned her gaze to the east where the sun was just about to rise to signal the beginning of a new day, her blue eyes softening. Golden streaks spread out against the dark blue sky like a silky ribbon, orange and red outlining the edges.

Sighing thoughtfully, the three-year-old checked the surrounding area of the market for a suitable place to hide. When nothing seemed forthcoming, she went over the list in her mind of what kinds of foods she needed. She had enough dried meat to last her through the week. The few fruit and vegetables she did have were bruised and beginning to rot, so she hastily decided on the produce vendor first. Melody, padding quietly over to the stand, found a respectable corner to both snitch and hide from, squatted down low, and waited for market day to begin.

His black eyes narrowed. "What is that _thing_ doing here?" he spat out, "I'm surprised they haven't exterminated it yet."

"Why does it matter, Fugaku?" murmured Uchiha Madara. "You don't have to look at her."

Fugaku sighed, "That's not the point, brother."

He shrugged, "The girl is of no threat to us. Why concern yourself over her?"

The other looked stung. "A threat to us? How dare you even suggest such a thing."

"Peace, no need for yelling. She'll hear us if you continue."

Fugaku stared up at him, his eyes narrowing even further. Madara chose to ignore him, continuing to watch the girl with even more interest now. _This girl makes Fugaku feel intimidated,_ he thought, _I wonder why…_

The younger Uchiha sighed. "Whatever pleases you," mumbled Fugaku as he turned his back to the girl in the distance. "I still believe I should have ripped her apart the night that beast entered into our village. Three years later, and I still feel his aura clinging to this place like a pestilence."

Madara nodded, "I as well."

"Lord Uchiha! Uchiha Fugaku!"

Both brothers turned to see a Chunin appear beside them. "Yes? What is it?" he asked, turning to face the panting shinobi.

"You're presence is requested by the Third Hokage immediately," she said, "It is about Itachi."

Fugaku straightened, suddenly interested, "Very well. I will be there as soon as possible."

"He says _now_."

The Uchiha growled, making the runner flinch. "Very well, Lord Uchiha," she stammered, "I will tell them you will be there as soon as possible."

"Good. Now go."

Turning on her heel, the runner sprinted back the way she came, leaving the two of them alone again. Madara looked at him questioningly, "What is it? What's wrong with Itachi?"

"Hopefully," said Fugaku proudly, "Itachi will start the Academy soon."

"Now?" his eyes widened, "But he is only four. Most children start when they are six through eight."

"I know. I even had to ask permission from Lord Hokage before he could even consider entering. This is such a new idea, and it was only permitted due to the stench of war looming down upon us. If Itachi does enter the Academy soon, he will be the youngest student so far! I can only imagine what this could do for the Clan. Come, we should go."

The two Uchiha brothers ran off towards the center of town, their sprint nothing more than a shadowy blur.

Melody looked up. Two men hurried along the street in front of her, one of them looking quite pleased while the other annoyed or even a little anxious. She recognized one: Lord Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the police squad and member of Konoha's council. As they passed, she noticed the red and white fan symbol of the Uchiha Clan on the back of their dark tunics. She shivered involuntarily. For as long back as she could remember, which was just a few flashes of memory that hardly made sense, that emblem burned throughout the darkest places in her mind.

Placing her chin on her knees, Melody held herself tightly against the cool morning wind. Out of any of the other shinobi clans, it was the Uchiha that hated her most. Everyone knew that...and everyone cheered them on for it.

_Why? _she thought miserably, _What I do?_

The two men were long gone now, heading to the far end of town where the great mountain with the Hokages' faces etched into its broad face was. _They go see Hokage?_ Melody pondered it for another moment or so before she was brought out of her reverie by the sound of shopkeepers and sellers.

Throwing the tarp she taken that covered one of the many barrels over her small body, Melody waited until the perfect moment to strike.

"Are you nervous?" she asked him, squeezing his hand slightly in her larger one, "Butterflies?"

Uchiha Itachi shrugged. "Not really," he replied, trying hard to sound older than the small four year old he really was, "Mom, stop worrying about me. I'm not a little kid."

His mother smiled, beaming with pride. "Yes you are. You're just more special than other kids your age. Now, your father says that the Third Hokage has granted your entrance into the Academy. You will be the youngest student in the history of Konoha to enter, and one of the best, I'm sure," she added with another quick squeeze to his hand.

Itachi rolled his black eyes. He was not exactly interested in what his family had planned for him. He would have preferred to be running around outside under the clear blue sky then listening to some boring adult talk about how great, impressive, or brilliant he was. He sighed.

His mother eyed him curiously. "Aren't you excited?" she asked, a little concerned, "I would have thought that you'd be overjoyed at the idea."

The boy shrugged, "I just don't know. Me don't know."

Feeling the slap at the back of the head made him make a face even more than his mistake. His mouth wanted to say something completely different than what his brain told it. Grimacing, Itachi quieted down.

As they entered into the bustling marketplace around noon, Itachi's mother frowned. "I was hoping that your father would meet us here by now, but I don't think he can make it."

"He never makes it," Itachi mumbled under his breath.

She pretended not to hear. "Don't worry," she assured, "He'll be here. He's so proud of you! I don't think he'd miss this for the world."

Itachi ran a hand through his long dark hair. Both parents were soon going to make him wear it back in a ponytail, but he resented the idea. Even the name was repulsive. _Ponytail. _He stuck his tongue out at the thought. Getting it cut was simply out of the question.

They waited there for a while, Itachi's mother tapping her foot lightly while he let his mind wander, before she finally sighed. "All right," she said, straightening, "We should go. I don't want you to get sunburn in this hot sun anyways. Your skin is too pale like mine."

Taking his hand, she led him into the throng of people before them. A few minutes in and after being jostled and hit by several buyers and sellers, Itachi believed it would have been easier if he and his mother had split up to reach each other on the other side. His little hand clutched to hers madly, his knuckles pure white from under the strain, and the union made it extremely difficult to maneuver around large groups. He soon came to the conclusion though, that even if he wanted to state his opinion, he doubted his voice could even get a couple of inches past his mouth. Everything was so loud in the marketplace.

Just then, a small girl about his age bumped into him hard, sending them both sprawling to the ground. Itachi's mother was separated from him immediately, being pushed away in the crowd. Slightly dazed from the impact, he sat up. A heavily laden bag slammed into the back of his head, making the world turn on and off for a number of moments, before he felt someone grab his hand, hoist him back onto his feet, and lead him away quickly.

"Get back here, you runt!" someone yelled above the noise, "Get back here!"

Itachi opened his eyes. The girl yanked on his arm. "Come on!" she mumbled so quietly he barely understood.

Still holding him, the girl maneuvered easily through the crowd, ducking through arms and legs while bringing him along. _Why couldn't Mom do somethin' like this?_ he thought as he eagerly dodged around people, _This is way more fun._

Reaching through to the other side of the multitude, the two of them sat down together against the cool wall. Panting, Itachi laughed, "That was fun!"

She did not say anything at first. The girl was panting hard, her grimy hand clutched to her throat. Her large blue eyes studied him meticulously for a brief instant before she nodded. Her expression did _not_ seem like it was having fun.

Itachi followed her example and took in as many details about her in one good sweep as he could. Her blonde hair and body was caked in dirt. The clothes she wore were only slightly more than rags, a pair of trousers and a muddy tunic. She was incredibly thin, having not eaten well for her entire life, but her lithe fingers were perfect for picking both locks and pockets. Noticing the small bulge in her right side pocket, Itachi surmised she had either stolen an apple or an orange.

"What's your name?" he asked, trying very hard to say it correctly.

She blinked at him, startled, before replying, "I'm Meyody." She bit her lip as the words came out, mad that she failed to say it right.

"Meyody?" Itachi echoed, and she shook her head vigorously.

"No, no. Mey…"

Itachi stared at her a moment, his mind racing to try to figure out what she was trying to say.

Chewing on her knuckles furiously, Melody went over all the possible ways of getting her name through to this boy. Writing it was one of the options, but she was afraid she would spell it wrong and fail in her second attempt. Stealing something and hoping that a shopkeeper would yell her name was another idea, but she doubted it. Her name to most people was demon spawn. That was not what she wanted to convey to the boy at all.

After a while of the silence, he pointed to himself, "Well, I'm Itachi. I'm four."

She held up three fingers.

He nodded with a small smile on his face. After a while, she finally decided at this approach. "I can't say my…"

"Your…?"

She groaned, her head falling onto chest. Trying with all of her might, she made her tongue slip in the right place, "L's. I can't say my…L's."

"Oh! Then your name is…Melody? Is that right?"

She nodded, giving a slight and timid smile.

The first thing that came to his mind was: _What an atrocious name,_ but he bit his tongue. His parents had taught and instructed him on numerous occasions to be polite to new people. So instead, Itachi beamed courteously before his gaze once again drifted to the bulge in her pocket. Melody noticed him. Taking it out, she gestured he take some. It was an orange. He hesitated.

"I-uh, should actually be trying to find my mom."

"Oh," she said. Standing up, Melody put the orange back into the folds of her clothes. Helping him to his feet, she added hesitantly, "Yet's go find you mom."

Itachi's smile grew into a grin, something that was a little rare nowadays. He decided that he liked this girl. Dusting himself off, he bent over to tighten the strap of his sandal. That was when she noticed the symbol on the back of his tunic. Uchiha.

She gasped. Straightening quickly, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Melody shook her head hurriedly. "Uh…nothin'. Yet's go."

The two disappeared into the crowd again, lost in a sea of color. Itachi was at her elbow the entire time, smiling and obviously enjoying himself. The thrill of moving in between people while dodging other things was new to him, and he found the chaos a little exhilarating. Melody did not. Her stomach was still squirming from the revelation that he was an Uchiha. She no longer knew what to make of him. Itachi had been nice to her, something that no one else in the Uchiha Clan had ever done. Coming to the conclusion that Itachi was different made her smile.

Itachi was very different.

What will happen to Itachi now? And what is wrong with Melody's name? Tune in to...whatever time I finish the next chapter to find out. Du du DUN! ^_^

Please comment and review!


	4. Different

Wow. I'm so sorry I haven't updated in almost a year... o_o School was murderous, and, when summer hit, writer's block took over. So...yeah. I'll hopefully have the fourth chapter up soon before my school year starts up again (I begin some time in August). Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Three: Different

With little incident, the two children reached the other side of the market together. Still smiling slightly, Melody turned to face him. Getting close so he could hear her above the steady roar of the crowd, she said, "I go, 'kay?" It took her a moment or two to formulate the next phrase; it had never occurred to her before that language was important. "I need mo'e food." Melody gestured toward the single orange in her pocket and then patted her stomach miserably.

He nodded, realizing suddenly he was sad to see her leave. It had always been difficult to make friends, mostly because none of the other children seemed or acted smart enough to follow him, but she seemed…different. That was the only word he could describe her as. "Y-You don't want to meet my mom?" he asked in a feeble attempt to get her to stay, brushing back strands of hair that had gotten in his slightly round face. Even he was not entirely fond of the idea of his mother meeting such a grimy street rat.

Melody immediately and bluntly replied, "No. I go."

Itachi shrugged. "Okay." He turned to leave but paused suddenly. Looking back at her over his shoulder, the young Uchiha smiled slightly, "Be seeing you. Right?"

"Um…" Startled, Melody's brain failed to function properly. What did normal people say to that? Yes? No?

Itachi's eyebrows met, a little annoyed at the wait. "Yes, I'll see you soon." He gave a sharp nod and several dark bangs fell back into his eyes.

"Uh…"

"Good. Bye then." He spun on the ball of his foot and walked away, waving slightly over his shoulder before his hands quickly disappeared into his pockets. The fan symbol on his back seemed to burn in the afternoon sun as he made his way out of the marketplace. Involuntarily, Melody shivered at the sight.

Just as she was about to head back into the throng behind her, Melody murmured his name, "Itachi. I wi'y remember." She stuck out her tongue in frustration at the slip up again.

"Oi! Demon spawn!"

Melody gave a startled squeak, shocked at how close the angry produce shopkeeper had gotten to her, before she bolted back into the crowd to vanish in a sea of color.

* * *

Easily avoiding the random shopper that slipped out of the bustling crowd, Itachi glanced back and forth for his still-no-where-to-be-seen mother. Not finding her after the first three sweeps over the area, he resigned himself to leaning against a pole and waiting. Impatiently. He tapped his small sandalled foot against the dirt ground frustratedly, ranting inwardly about how stupid his parents were. _They always scold me for being late,_ he thought darkly, _but they never even think twice about it when _they_ are. Stupid mom..._

There was a sudden and coarse bellow from where he had come from, and Itachi glanced up to see a shopkeeper angle off back into the crowd, his meaty fists raised at a swift, retreating figure into the jungle of people. He smirked slightly as he caught the flash of mud-caked blonde hair vanish in response.

Suddenly, in a flurry of robes and black hair, his mother suddenly appeared from nowhere to swoop down upon him like a hawk. Bringing him into a tight embrace, Mikoto breathed, "Oh, thank heavens, you're all right, Itachi!" Itachi scowled as he was enveloped in the fabric of her clothes, his protests instantly smothered. "I was so worried! Are you hurt? What happened?"

His response came back muffled, "I'mphine, movher."

Mikoto became a jumble around him, checking him up and down before her breath caught, "Ah! You skinned your knee! We need to get that cleaned _right_ away."

"My knee?" Itachi glanced down to notice the trickle of blood that slithered down his leg from the small cut. He sighed. She was always overreacting to every little thing. "Stop babying me," protested the boy, escaping her frantic clutches by ducking under her arms, "If I'm going into the Academy, I don't need you…" He reached and stammered over the words. "…fussing."

Taken aback, his mother tried to stutter in reply, "But, Itachi-"

"He's right, Mikoto." Mikoto rose from bending over and turned to find Fugaku standing behind them only a few feet away. "He may be our first child, but that doesn't mean you have to smother him."

"He's my son, and I will look after to him to the best of my abilities," she countered, taking a bandage from the folds of her robes to wrap around Itachi's knee, "This'll have to do. We're cleaning it the _moment_ we get home. Otherwise, it will be infected before we know it."

Fugaku replied exasperatedly, "Mikoto, the boy's fine." He sighed. "Besides, Lord Hokage is waiting for us."

"I know! Do you honestly want Itachi to be presented to Lord Hokage with a visibly-scraped knee? That would be…unthinkable. Plus, I don't want him to be hurt..."

The elder Uchiha let his hands slip into his pockets as his eyes closed in frustration. "He's going to be a ninja one day, Mikoto. If you're scared of him barely scraping his knee, I don't want to be anywhere close to you when he's stabbed in the chest or something."

"Fugaku! Don't even joke like that!" she cried as she clutched Itachi to her.

The Uchiha smirked—particularly as he saw his son's pained expression—as he added quietly, "I'm not joking."

Mikoto chose to ignore him as she rose and tugged Itachi along after them towards the Hokage's office. "He won't be seeing any kunai thrown at him for a long time," she grumbled at Fugaku over her shoulder, "Don't get your hopes up for a scar on our son just yet."

Her husband simply rolled his eyes, "If you insist."

Still dragging his feet along behind his parents, Itachi squinted upwards at the towering building before them. His stomach churned with uncomfortable butterflies as he realized that he was about to meet the great Third Hokage, the most powerful and venerated ninja in the Village Hidden in the Leaves presently. The one who commanded hundreds if not thousands of ninja in peace and wartime, taught and instructed the Sannin—the three legendary ninja—and was known as the Professor for knowing thousands of jutsu. Itachi tried to stop to take a longer look at the building itself, especially at the three, mighty stone faces of the great Hokage looming behind the building, but his mother's relentless grip pulled him along.

Everything went by in a blur. Itachi lost track of time from the jumble of thoughts around him that he never would have realized they were already in the Hokage's meeting room if not for his mother easing him down on his knees onto the cushion beneath him.

The room was small yet comfortable, lined with several cushions in a semi-circle around a low table. The Third Hokage sat behind it, a teapot and several teacups positioned before him as he slowly filled three of them with the hot water. The shutters on the many windows had been opened to allow light in, and, with the afternoon sun shining through, it cast the room in a warm, orange glow.

"Good afternoon, Lord Hokage," Fugaku greeted in an uncharacteristically pleasant voice, bowing low, "You are well, I assume?"

Itachi, black eyes curious, looked up at the man seated across the table. He was an older man, worn wrinkles and leathery skin barely visible from underneath the white conical hat perched low on his head. The character for 'fire' stood out like a beacon against the spotless fabric. Breathing in deeply from his long pipe, the Third Hokage's black eyes scanned the Uchiha family before him only to settle on Fugaku.

Mouth twitching up in a slight smile, the Hokage nodded, "Why, yes, Fugaku. I'm doing quite well since I saw you last. This morning seems like such a long time ago, doesn't it?"

"Uh, yes, my lord. I didn't mean to-"

"Enough, enough," he laughed, "So, Fugaku, how have you and your beautiful wife been?"

Mikoto blushed warmly as her husband's hand brushed along hers for a brief instant before returning to his lap. "We are well enough; thank you."

The Third Hokage nodded sharply with an acknowledging grunt before his eyes fell upon the youngest Uchiha. Itachi wanted to do as he had been taught, to never look directly into the eyes of his elders, but he felt drawn in as their gaze met. There was a slight pause as the two studied each other for a brief instant, but the connection broke as Mikoto nudged his leg urgently. Itachi's eyes fell, and he bowed his head lower than before. His injured knee stung as he shifted into a more comfortable position.

The Hokage stared at him a moment longer, blinking slowly, before settling back. He then went about handing two of the teacups to Fugaku and Mikoto and the last for himself. Bringing the porcelain cup to his lips, he sipped at it quietly, his eyes closing in pleasure.

Suddenly, before Itachi could even bat an eye, a kunai knife was being thrust into his face, an inch away from his nose. The sudden movement was there and then gone so fast he was almost unsure if the kunai had not always been there. He took the time to blink before anything else could occur, unsure of what was happening. As his eyes opened, his mind slowed enough to take in his surroundings. The Third Hokage was leaning over the table with the kunai pointed at his nose, his pipe undisturbed as he continued to smoke on it. The older man's eyes appeared expressionless and calculating. Itachi's eyes then trailed down to his own hands. One was up against the Hokage's arm to try to stop the thrust while the other was latched firmly onto the ninja's wrist. _I moved?_ breathed Itachi in disbelief. _I don't…remember_. Glancing to his right, he saw his mother in a defensive position, her hands nearly gripping Itachi's arms to whisk him away if need be. Fugaku had two kunai in hand, an almost startled expression on his face as if he had not realized he had drawn them.

An uneasy pause followed after before the Third sat back with a soft chortle. Mikoto's hands finally did wrap around her son as she brought him tightly to her. Her question came out in a snarl, "What are you _doing_?"

The Hokage took a long, slow puff before letting it out in a swirl of smoke. A coughing chuckle escaped him. "I apologize, Mikoto," he grinned lopsidedly, "I needed to test his reflexes." Before she could send a barrage of questions his way, he held up a scraggly hand. "Let me explain. Yes, yes,

I won't harm the boy. You can let your death grip around him ease. That's it. There, now the boy can breathe." His grin broadened for an instance before pausing to cough into his fist. "First off, I warned Fugaku I would have a small test for the boy."

Mikoto cast a dark look over in her husband's direction. He simply shrugged as he put the two kunai back into the pouch strapped to his leg.

The Third Hokage ignored the silent interaction. "He will be the youngest we've ever had to enter the Academy, and I needed to be sure he would not be too far behind all of the other children. After all, most of them are more than two or three years older than him."

"I understand, my Lord," interjected Mikoto, "but was it necessary for Itachi to be tested like that?"

He shrugged in response, "Perhaps not."

Itachi, heart still pounding in his ears, made sure that he had cleared his face of all emotion just as his father had taught him. The muscles in face relaxed, his mouth fell into a near straight line, and his eyes went dead. He simply stared back at the Third Hokage quietly, his hands falling into his lap.

"Whatever the case," continued the older ninja while sweeping his hand back and forth to clear the smoke away from his face, "he's passed. As far as I am concerned, he can enter the Academy. The only thing he needs to do now is survive and pass."

For the second time that day, Fugaku aberrantly bowed low to the Hokage, offering a very humble "thank you", before getting to his feet. Mikoto joined him, her expression grim, and Itachi was left to scramble up after her. The Hokage's eyes yet again landed on Itachi as the boy straightened, watching absently at how he favored his un-bandaged knee, before he saw something. Something he should have noticed the moment he walked in with his parents. Even though the boy's face was bereft of any defining emotion, the Third noted the bearing and calculation pooled in his eyes, the sure and steady position of his slim shoulders. In all his years as a ninja, he could truthfully say he had only seen that natural strength once or twice. Itachi, he mused, was not a child to underestimate or ignore. This was a child he could expect great things from.

_We could use a child like this in the upcoming war…_ he thought. Interlocking his fingers together, he rested his chin on his hands, his teeth nibbling at the nub of his pipe.

"Lord Hokage?"

The older ninja snapped to at Fugaku's voice.

"Hm? Yes? What is it, Fugaku?"

"Is there anymore you require of us?" asked the Uchiha as he stared down the Hokage.

He glanced up at him, "No. However, I will require an update on the Police Squad tomorrow."

Fugaku bowed, not as deeply as before, as he replied, "Of course, Lord Hokage. It will be on your desk at the earliest."

The Hokage grunted in response—never having really enjoyed paperwork—before waving them away. "The entrance exam is in two months. Will he be ready by then?"

Fugaku, holding the door open for his wife and son, regarded the man with a confident smile,  
"He's ready now." Bowing his head, he murmured, "My Lord," and then left, closing the door and the untouched tea behind him.

* * *

The knife rose and fell in quick succession, slicing through the thick carrot effortlessly to form the evenly cut disks. "So?" Mikoto asked Itachi as he sat silently at the kitchen table behind her, "What did you think of Lord Hokage?"

The young Uchiha shrugged, but, when he remembered that her back was to him, he replied, "I don't know."

Mikoto, long, silky black hair tied in a loose ponytail, paused in her chopping long enough to smile over her shoulder at him, "Itachi, you _always_ have an opinion on someone. Now, be honest. What do you think of him?"

Sighing, it took him a moment to solidify his thoughts and gather together the proper words before saying, "He…seems like any other old man, but he…" Itachi stumbled over his tongue. "…He isn't an old man. He…" No proper word or description seemed forthcoming. After a moment of struggling, he finally finished with, "He's just different." Annoyed, the boy's eyes rose to meet his mother's.

She had returned to cutting the vegetables, now onto onions, and appeared to not be listening. However, just as Itachi was about to repeat his feeble explanation, his mother nodded, "Yes. Lord Hokage _is_ different. He is the strongest ninja in our village." Her voice fell into a thoughtful, quiet sound. "He is wise and cunning, gentle and powerful." After a moment's thought, she added, "Merciful and ruthless. Our Lord Hokage would do anything to protect this village."

"Anything?" repeated Itachi, tapping his small fingers on the seat back.

Eyes transfixed on her work, Mikoto nodded, "Anything. He is a true leader."

"'A true leader'? You mean, there are fake ones?"

This made Mikoto laugh, "Well, I suppose so. I guess I just mean he's a good leader."

The little boy nodded understandingly. Taking a deep breath, Itachi let his mind wander. After all, a lot had happened that day. As his eyes settled on the bowl full of oranges, his thoughts drifted back to the girl at the marketplace. Melody. That was her name?

"Mother?" asked the boy as he swung his dangling legs to and fro, "What does 'melody' mean again?"

"'Melody'?" Mikoto put down her knife and turned to face him. With one hand on her hip and the other resting on the counter, she explained, "Well, the word 'melody' has two meanings today. With the English language coming into more use over these past years, it's changed from its original meaning in our language to the English one, which means 'music' or, more precisely, the main strain of notes in a song."

"What was the ori-ori…the first meaning?"

Mikoto scratched the back of her neck thoughtfully, "Well, it comes from the word 'melodai' which was actually the name of a ninja in the past. The story goes that Melodai was one of the trusted advisors to one of the daimyo—no one knows which of the daimyo; the story changes each telling—and, in time of great peril, he abandoned his comrades and fled the turmoil, resulting in the death of dozens of ninja. For his crimes, the daimyo had him executed." Itachi nodded, suddenly remembering the story. His uncle had told it to him before. "However, his son was cast out, being labeled as a 'melodai', a traitor, an outcast."

"Wait, how did 'melodai' change to 'melody'?"

His mother shrugged. Busying herself by adjusting her apron, she explained, "Languages change. Words become shortened or slurred together. 'Melodai' simply changed to 'melody'." Straightening once she felt her apron was neat once again, she smiled slightly down at him, "Does that make sense?"

He glanced away and down at the floor. "I guess," he murmured quietly.

"Hm. Maybe languages don't come naturally to you..."

"No, Mother. It makes sense," Itachi snapped, his eyes returning to fix a glare up at her.

This reply caused Mikoto to pause, a startled expression plastered on her face, before she allowed it to fall away into a small frown. "You're right. After all, I've never seen another four-year-old who speaks as articulately as you. I mean, you fumble with some words—don't think I didn't notice your little fumble earlier with 'original'—but, for the most part, you speak quite well."

Exasperated, he grumbled, "_Thanks_, Mother."

"'Positive stimuli always helps,'" she quoted cheerfully, putting the freshly-cut vegetables in a large cooking pot she had filled earlier with water. On the stove burner, it had come to a boil while they had been talking. Itachi closed his eyes as he listened to the _plopping_ and _splattering_ sounds slices of vegetables made as they hit the water successively, the occasional _sizzling_ as a drop or two of water splashed out to land on the hot stove.

Later that evening, after dinner and his nightly homework that his father or mother assigned to him daily, Itachi pulled the blankets up to his chin and curled the covers comfortably around him to trap the heat close to his body. Gazing up at the ceiling, he murmured quietly, "Melody, huh? I wonder what she did." He ran the story of Melodai over in his mind again, and then added, "Or parents. Did they do something?"

Closing his eyes, he focused his thoughts on his afternoon with the Hokage. Thinking of him suddenly made him realize he had described both the Hokage and Melody in the same way. Different. Itachi allowed the corner of his mouth to twitch upward. Two 'different' people in one day. He eventually drifted off to sleep to the idea that he needed to find a new word for that.

* * *

And there you go. I hope you enjoyed it! Plus, I think my general writing style has improved, so I hope it was easier to read. Oh, and don't forget to review! Tell me what you think and how I might improve. Thanks!


	5. Wishes

I finished this in one day! I'm quite proud of myself, considering I find the chapter somewhat decent. Anyways, enjoy! ^_^

* * *

Chapter Four: Wishes

"Nooo. The sun is too hot to do anything," eight-year-old Izumo whined as Kotetsu pulled on his sleeve, "Do I hafta play on the monkey bars?"

Kotetsu pouted down at his friend, "Come on, Izu. You've been sitting in the shade most of the day."

The smaller boy, a miserable frown adorning his face, glanced over the playground's small tunnel wall to look at the steaming afternoon sun. Heat waves shimmered into his vision, radiating off the paved sidewalk outlining the large playground's sandbox. A little ways away, their mothers chatted under a large oak tree, ice-cold water bottles either in their hands or held to their foreheads, and Izumo could clearly see the sweat stick to their hair and clothes. Turning back to look up at his friend, he groggily shook his head.

"No thanks," he panted wearily, sweat trickling down his cheeks. He slowly wiped away at the drop that raced down his neck, "I can't get how you can run around at a time like this. I mean, it's got to be over two hundred degrees out here!"

Kotetsu rolled his eyes. "Stupid. If it were a hundred degrees, we'd be near boiling." He thought about it for a second, "Wait, do you mean Fahrenheit or Celsius?"

"Huh?"

"Degrees. Do you mean Fahrenheit or Celsius?"

Izumo blinked and then groaned, "Kotetsu, what the heck is Fahren-something and Celts have anything to do with this?"

"No, stupid! Weren't you paying attention to what Toronu-sensei taught us? 'Fahrenheit' means that water freezes and 'celsius' means that water's boiling. So, you need to say it must be close to two hundred Fahrenheit—which is where ice is at—or two hundred Celsius—where boiling water is at." Kotetsu shook his head, "Don't you know _anyth__ing_ about science?"

Izumo, in awe of his friend's knowledge while pretending not to be, grumbled, "I know sciencey-stuff. More than you."

"Psh! Since when?"

Seeing this as his chance to prove himself, Izumo sat up straighter with fists clenched and proclaimed, "I know where babies come from!"

Kotetsu's smug look suddenly vanished into one of admiration and curiosity. "Really?" he asked cautiously, and then his voice fell into a near whisper as he leaned down close, "My mom won't tell me until I'm older. She said it's not something I need to know. What's the big deal?"

Proudly, Izumo explained, "Well, you know that story about storks bringing the babies to where grown-ups live, right?" The other boy nodded. "Well," he continued, "I hope you know that _tha__t's_ not true." Kotetsu nodded again. "Okay, here's how it works. The stork doesn't bring a baby but an _egg_ to the grown-ups. Then, the daddy takes the egg, puts it in his tummy, and then, when the baby's hatched, opens up a hole in his tummy again, plops the baby out on the table, and burps."

Kotetsu stared at him wide-eyed. "R-Really? Are you sure?" His face screwed up suspiciously, "Wait, how do _you_ know?"

"Momma told me about sea horses and how the daddy… 'gives birth' to little sea horse babies by having them leap out of his stomach." Izumo, nodding, concluded, "So, if it happens to sea horses, it has to happen to people too." Leaning back proudly against the tube's wall, the boy gave a firm bob of his head.

Kotetsu straightened from his bending over position to his full height. "Wow," he murmured to himself, "You and I are gonna have babies someday…"

"From eggs that the stork gives us!" beamed Izumo, "I've never seen a stork before!"

A thought struck Kotetsu, forcing him to ask, "Don't we have to be married to a girl before we can have babies?"

The sudden silence of the afternoon surrounded them as they contemplated that answer. The saccades' hummed quietly.

Leaping to his feet, revulsion dominating his face, Izumo screamed, "Ew! Not girls! They have cooties!"

The two boys shivered and convulsed at the thought before running off to their mothers yelling simultaneously, "I don't want to have a baby!" and leaving the playground deserted. Deserted save one. Melody, hidden behind the playground's small holey climbing wall, watched the retreating figures stoically, her large blue eyes glinting in the sun.

"Cooties?" she repeated quietly, confused. After mulling it over for a moment, she simply shook her head. Bringing her legs up to let her rest her chin on her knees, she went cross-eyed trying to focus on the stringy strands of hair that fell into her face. She grimaced as her stomach rumbled softly.

The Chuunin guards positioned around the marketplace had made it nearly impossible for her to even get close to the vendors, let alone able to snitch anything. The lone, bruised apple resting at her side was all she had after nearly seven hours of hunt, and the new, blue-black bruises from the Chuunin covering her body hardly seemed worth it. Melody drew her legs in tighter, making herself as small as possible. Her stomach groaned angrily.

"Shut up," growled the girl, trying to squeeze herself in tighter.

The noise came again, louder this time, and a dull throb shot through her.

"Shut up," Melody replied again, shutting her eyes tight. It hurt. Why did it have to hurt so much?

Someone laughed. Boisterously, happily in front of her. Her head shot up, expecting the worst. The two boys, Kotetsu and Izumo, had returned from their mothers and both appeared satisfied as they chomped down on two large, glossy red apples. Kotetsu must have said something funny, because Izumo laughed again, his bushy brown hair freeing itself from the sweat on his head as he ran to the monkey bars.

Melody eyes grew cold. Why were they happy?

Two women, the boy's mothers, Melody guessed, came into view, giggling and smiling to themselves while casting pleased glances in their sons' directions. _They_ were happy too. The girl's gaze shifted back to the boys. Kotetsu had gotten across the monkey bars without any problems, spinning about the poles on the other side as Izumo started crossing after him. To Kotetsu's chagrin and utter annoyance, Izumo skipped a bar in each of his swings, getting him to his friend much faster than the latter had gotten across. Angrily, Kotetsu pulled off the other's beanie before leaping off the step-up bars and towards the slide. With a startled yell, he followed after the boy. His hair flew about his head like a lion's mane.

"I'm gonna rip off your nose-Band-Aid thing!" cried Izumo, arms flailing as he ran. His fingers just grazed Kotetsu's spiky black hair, but the boy evaded in time.

"'Missed me, missed me. Now you've gotta…" Kotetsa trailed off as he thought about the last part. "…kiss Ibiki.' Hey, that rhymed!"

That only put the other boy into more of a rage, racing up the slide and down again in a vain attempt to catch him.

Another growl and another groan. Teeth clenched, Melody brought her fingers roughly down onto her stomach to try to silence it. "Shut up," she hissed, digging her fingernails into her skin, "Shut up."

"Kotetsu!" one of the women called, "Give Izumo his cap back."

"Mom!" wailed the boy in response, "But he was showing off!"

A louder rumble this time, and it filled her ears with the hollow, desperate sound.

"Give him his cap back!"

"Mom!"

"It's _not_ a _cap_!" Izumo shrieked in horror, "It's a beanie!"

"Kotetsu." The mother's voice grew harder.

"Mom!"

"Give it back!"

"No!"

"Give it back to me, Kotetsu!"

"Kotetsu, give him back his cap this instant!"

"Mom!"

"It's a _beanie_!" the boy screeched.

"Izumo, don't make such a _horrid_ sound!"

"Momma…!" came the wailing response.

Again. And again. It grumbled and growled and complained and hurt and stung. And roared. Repeatedly. Over and over. Melody clamped her hands over her ears, her eyes clenched down so hard that it began to hurt. Noise. There was too much noise. She had to get away. It was too much for someone so small as her to handle. The bruises began to scream as her other hand clawed at her empty belly mercilessly.

"SHUT UP!"

The saccades hummed again.

The two boys and the two mothers spun about to look at her, startled to find her sitting there.

"Who—" Izumo started to ask, but the shrill and high-pitched shriek enveloped anything he said.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"

Now, even the saccades seemed to quiet down, their voices only a dull throb as everyone went silent. Melody, huddled and miserable in her corner, raised her head enough so she could see the four of them through her nest of hair and screamed, "SHUT UP!"

Several more moments passed before one of the mothers whispered to the other, "That's that demon spawn girl, right?"

"Yeah. My word, look how dirty and filthy she is…"

"I know! What a little monster. A filthy, horrid, little monster."

She only understood half of the words, but the tone, that same tone everyone used with her, was evident. Normally, she would have covered her head with something and tried to hide. But something was wrong: she did not care. Before she could stop herself, Melody was on her feet and running. At them. Frail arms raised and blue eyes burning, she yelled hoarsely, "'eave me a'yone! Shut up! Go away!"

Giving a startled yelp, the first woman took her water bottle and threw it as hard as she could at the charging girl, taking her in the head with the hard, butt end, before she turned to grab at Kotetsu. Kotetsu, eyes wide and scared, numbly allowed his mother to whisk him into her arms and run. The second mother, who had left her water bottle under the tree to cool, instinctively kicked up sand into the little girl's face, blinding her, just as she turned, grabbed her son, and ran off behind her friend.

Melody stumbled forward as the water bottle struck her nose and forehead. The half-empty container made red flash behind her eyes for a brief instant before she felt dozens of tiny pebbles nick and cut at her face. Most of it, however, got in her eyes. Landing and remaining huddled on her knees, she then went about swiping, dabbing, and pawing away at her face, whimpering quietly.

The voices still reached her though. The first mother, a still dazed Kotetsu wrapped tightly in her arms, yelled, "It's mad! Completely mad!"

"We need to tell the Hokage!" cried the second, "He can't keep that thing here; it's dangerous! Can you imagine what it'll be like when it's older?"

"Oh, don't even think of it! No, we'll talk to Lord Hokage right away! That-That-That… _abomination_ needs to be put under."

"I totally agree!"

Tears streaming down from red eyes, Melody glanced up at the retreating figures off in the distance, heat waves masking their feet as they bustled hastily along the sidewalk. Izumo and Kotetsu stared back at her over their mothers' shoulders. She could tell that Kotetsu decided he hated her, his eyes narrow and dark, but Izumo seemed more scared than anything. Scared and confused.

Lowering her gaze, she whispered, "Stop it." Her stomach rumbled again. "Shut up!" Melody screeched, "Shut up! Shut up!" Sobs wracked her until she lie curled up on the sand, fingers tearing away at the coarse ground to throw after them. "H-Happy," she cried, tears blinding her again. Gasping for air in between sobs, she wailed waveringly, "W-W-Why are th-they h-happy?" Not caring who heard her, not caring if anyone saw her, Melody began to scream again, thrashing about and pounding her small fists into the sand around her.

And there she lay, alone, until the sun sank beyond the horizon. By then, her voice was too raw to scream, too raw to cry, and her muscles ached after such a violent fit. So she slowly picked herself up. Numb, Melody went to retrieve her apple only to find it gone. Several paw prints to and from the sidewalk were more than enough explanation.

Eyes still stinging and feeling more dejected than before, she turned her face skyward at the darkening, evening sky and saw the first star. Venus, she had heard someone call it. _Stars_, she thought as she trudged homeward, _Pretty stars. They happy?_ This made her stop. Looking back up at the sky, Melody mumbled, "Pwetty star, you happy?" When no answer came, she asked hopefully, "I be happy too, right? Someday, I be happy too?" With the saccades replaced by crickets, Melody was met with the dull throb of nature's music. It struck her that that music sounded happy too.

The sun sank lower and more stars came into sight, twinkling and sparkling warmly down at her as they clustered together against the savage dark of the sky. Shivering, Melody nodded, "Star happy. She have friends." As she lifted her hands to the jewel-like stars, she yelled as loud as she could without her voice painfully cracking, "I be happy too! I be happy like you someday! I no be a'yone for good! You hear!"

When only the crickets replied, Melody gave a quick nod of her head and ran off down the warm sidewalk.

* * *

[A/N]: Melody's personality changes quickly, for the record. Generally, she's quiet and reclusive, but her personality sometimes gets the best of her. So, I'm sorry if her sudden fit surprised you or some other confused emotion, but I wanted to be sure it was understood that Melody is not particularly sane. Anyways, I'm still riding this "writing high" so I probably should have another chapter in several days. Or, heck, for all I know, it could come out later today. _ Maybe I should set up a normal updating time...?

Also, if there are any typos or highly obvious grammatical errors that I should be aware of but missed somehow, please tell me. Review and comment, please! Thanks! 3


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